This year, tariffs have reshaped the cost structures of many manufacturing supply chains. Too often, I’ve seen buyers accept supplier pass-throughs of tariff costs without pushback—or, just as problematic, they made a single attempt to negotiate an offset and gave up when the supplier resisted….
The global tariff front is shifting again—and fast. On July 9, 2025, President Trump issued fresh tariff letters to emerging economies like the Philippines, Moldova, Iraq, Brunei, Algeria, Libya, Sri Lanka, plus major materials and goods categories—starting August 1. For example, a 50% levy on…
I was in a CEO roundtable recently when something came up that perfectly validated what we’ve been telling buyers in our training for the past year: suppliers are overwhelmed with RFQs—and they’re ignoring a lot of them. Not because they’re lazy or arrogant, but because…
Here’s how the best teams avoid inflated supplier pricing — and how yours can too. Tariffs may be out of your control — but your response to them isn’t. Over the past two decades, working with hundreds of procurement teams, one pattern has become clear: Companies that…
I. Preparation is Power: Reassessing Leverage in a Tariff-Impacted World Start with this premise: The most successful negotiations begin long before the first conversation. At APD, we train buyers to evaluate power dynamics between buyer and supplier before any negotiation begins. Tariffs dramatically shift those…
For decades, negotiation experts have debated the best strategies for securing favorable deals—should one take a competitive, hardline stance or adopt a collaborative, problem-solving approach? My favorite competitive and collaborative negotiation books are: Chester L. Karrass’s The Negotiating Game (1970), which outlines competitive negotiation tactics—leveraging…
Purchasing leaders in manufacturing are currently grappling with an unpredictable tariff landscape, making it nearly impossible to “read the tea leaves” and predict what will actually transpire. The Shifting Nature of U.S. Trade Policy The difficulty lies in the ever-changing nature of U.S. trade policy,…
We at Advanced Purchasing Dynamics have been posting a lot about tariffs and thought it might be time to step back and provide some education on the topic, along with the current status and direction of U.S. trade policies. Tariffs have long been a pivotal…
At Advanced Purchasing Dynamics (APD), we’ve consistently provided insights into how tariffs impact purchasing teams, helping you navigate the complexities of global trade. Recently, a purchasing leader in our network asked, “What gives the President the authority to impose tariffs?” Let’s explore the legal foundations…
We surveyed large and mid-size manufacturing purchasing leaders on their priorities for 2025. Over 50 shared their thoughts, and we conducted follow-up interviews with many to understand their concerns – and plans – for the coming year. This article focuses on the top 3 issues…